Texas Football Thriller: Longhorns’ Buzzer-Beating Field Goal Ignites Playoff Push

AUSTIN — Under clear skies and a deafening crowd at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium, No. 20 Texas football wasted no time reminding the country why its College Football Playoff dream is still very much alive. On the first snap of the morning showdown against No. 9 Vanderbilt, quarterback Arch Manning hit freshman phenom Ryan Wingo on a quick slant that turned into a 75-yard lightning bolt, giving the Longhorns a 7-0 lead just 12 seconds in. The early strike pushed Texas to 22-1 when scoring first since 2023, a streak head coach Steve Sarkisian calls “our identity.” Manning, fully cleared from last week’s concussion protocol, looked sharp in pre-snap checks and decisive on intermediate routes, consistently targeting Wingo and sophomore Xavier Worthy to exploit Vanderbilt’s single-high safety looks. Defensively, Pete Kwiatkowski’s unit focused on bottling Commodores dual-threat quarterback AJ Swann. Linebacker Anthony Hill recorded two first-half sacks, while the secondary, minus injured safety Michael Taaffe, forced three straight Vanderbilt punts to keep momentum squarely on burnt-orange shoulders. Special teams added another spark late in the second quarter when Bert Auburn drilled a career-long 54-yard field goal, stretching the margin to 17-3 and igniting chants of “SEC! SEC!”—a reminder that Texas’ inaugural season in its new conference could end with hardware if it keeps stacking wins. Key storylines fans are tracking: • Arch Manning’s efficiency: The sophomore completed 12 of his first 15 passes, showing improved chemistry with a rebuilt offensive line anchored by returning center Cole Hutson. • Ryan Wingo’s breakout: The five-star true freshman now has touchdowns in three consecutive games, solidifying a receiving corps that already features Worthy, Johntay Cook II and Jordan Whittington. • Playoff implications: A victory over a top-10 Vanderbilt squad would vault Texas back into the CFP committee’s top twelve ahead of a crucial road trip to Baton Rouge next week. Halftime score: Texas 24, Vanderbilt 10. A win would move the Longhorns to 7-2 (4-2 SEC) and keep them tied with Alabama atop the SEC West, setting up a potential winner-take-all clash in the regular-season finale. For Longhorn Nation, “Texas football” is buzzing again—and with Manning healthy, Wingo blazing and a defense peaking in November, the path to Atlanta suddenly looks realistic.